EarlyMusicNews.org

"Matthew Wadsworth, lutenist, is in great demand as a soloist, continuo player and chamber musician. He has appeared at major festivals in the UK, Europe and North America and can frequently be heard on radio, both in live performance and on disc.

Matthew has recorded for Avie, Deux-Elles, Linn and EMI Records. His CDs, “When Laura Smiles”, (featuring music by Phillip Rosseter), “Away Delights” (Robert Johnson) and “14 Silver Strings” (Kapsberger and Piccinini) have received international critical acclaim.

Matthew is delighted to have recently been taken on as a solo artist by Channel Classics, and their first collaboration, ‘Masters of the Lute’ was Editor’s Choice in Gramophone Magazine, December 2006. " Visit website for more information. (ed.)

Added on: Apr 16, 2008 | Hits: 795

“Thierry MEUNIER and Jean-Marie POIRIER both studied plucked instruments (lute, baroque guitar, vihuela) and early music under Javier HINOJOSA. At the same time, they followed courses with other world famous specialists, Hopkinson SMITH and Paul O'DETTE. Moreover, their research in major libraries allow them to add a good deal of unpublished material to their repertoire. ..“

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Added on: Nov 23, 2009 | Hits: 799

Violone and Kontrabass performer. Visit website for more information. (ed.)

Added on: Aug 02, 2008 | Hits: 807

“Multi-instrumentalist and vocalist Shira Kammen has spent well over half her life exploring the worlds of early and traditional music. A member for many years of the early music Ensembles Alcatraz and Project Ars Nova, and Medieval Strings, she has also worked with Sequentia, Hesperion XX, the Boston Camerata, the Balkan group Kitka, the Oregon, California and San Francisco Shakespeare Festivals, and is the founder of Class V Music, an
ensemble dedicated to performance on river rafting trips. She has performed and taught in the United States, Canada, Mexico, Europe, Israel, Morocco, and Japan, and on the Colorado, Rogue and Klamath Rivers.

Shira happily collaborated with singer/storyteller John Fleagle for fifteen years, and performs now with several new groups: a medieval ensemble, Fortune's Wheel: a new music group, Ephemeros; an eclectic ethnic band, Panacea; as well as frequent collaborations with performers such as storyteller/harpist Patrick Ball, sopranos Anne Azema , Susan Rode Morris, medieval music expert Margriet Tindemans, and in many theatrical and dance productions.

She has played on several television and movie soundtracks, including 'O', amodern high school-setting of Othello. Some of her original music can be heard in an independent film about fans of the work of JRR Tolkien. The strangest place Shira has played is in the elephant pit of the Jerusalem Zoo. She hopes to spend more time playing music of all kinds in the wilderness.“

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Added on: May 03, 2010 | Hits: 817

“Stephen Tyler began playing the hurdy gurdy in 1993, adding this instrument to the sound of the recently formed medieval music ensemble Misericordia, which he founded with Anne Marie Summers.  He also plays Gothic Harp, Cittern and Citole.

In 1996, they joined with melodeon player Julian Sutton to form The Wendigo, playing their own compositions inspired by the traditional dance music of central France. It was with two such pieces that Steve, with Anne Marie, won first place in the competition for duets at Saint Chartier festival in 1999, playing hurdy gurdy and bagpipes.

In 2001 he joined medieval music and dance theatre group Daughters of Elvin for their spectacular medieval circus show "Garden of Earthly Delights", commissioned by the National Trust, and continues to play with them.

With these bands he has travelled and performed throughout Europe and recorded numerous CDs, most recently "Passion, Pestilence and Polyphony" comprising music and song from the fourteenth century, with Misericordia.

In 2006 he was featured on Radio 3's Early Music Show on the hurdy gurdy, along with Nigel Eaton, and played at Anost Fete de la Vielle with Jon Swayne and Becky Price.

He is currently recording a second CD with Daughters of Elvin and working on new pieces, some of which involve obscure rhythms and multitracked hurdy gurdies with diverse other instruments. ”

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Added on: May 11, 2009 | Hits: 831

"Hopkinson Smith has been called the most moving of present day lutenists...he approaches the lute's universe with a musicality which goes far beyond the seemingly limited voice of his instrument. We invite you to explore on this website the magic of his lute and its music. " Visit website for more information. (ed.)

Added on: Apr 18, 2008 | Hits: 833

“Timothy Burris graduated from Holland's Royal Conservatory, where he studied under the renowned lutenist, Toyohiko Satoh. From 1990-96, he taught lute at the Royal Flemish Conservatory in Antwerp.

A Fulbright alumnus, Mr Burris has performed throughout Europe and the US, including appearances with Derek Lee Ragin and Jennifer Lane, and performances under the baton of René Clemencic and Peter Schreier. He can be heard playing Bach's c minor Prelude in "Shock Act", the prize-winning short film by Seth Grossman. In addition to solo performances, Mr Burris appears with the tenor Timothy Johnson (as the duo Music’s Quill).“

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Added on: May 18, 2009 | Hits: 838

"This website has been created as an information-sharing network to facilitate communication among Canadian players of the viola da gamba. Whether you are new to the viol (curious for more information, wanting to rent or buy an instrument or find a teacher), an amateur (perhaps interested in attending a workshop or concert) or a professional (who wants to post information about an upcoming event or locate players in a different region), we hope this website will serve as a useful resource. Travelling across the country on holiday or for business? There may be other players in the area who'd like to get together to play informally, or perhaps there is a concert or workshop that fits within your schedule.

Who are we? The concept for a Canadian Viol Players information-sharing network was originally proposed at an informal meeting of the Canadian participants in the Viola da Gamba Society of America's annual Conclave, during the summer of 2005. In response to that demand, the information on this website was compiled by Joëlle Morton (Toronto), assisted by Sara Blake (Toronto), Peter Payzant (Halifax) and Chrissy Spencer (Vancouver). "

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Added on: Mar 23, 2008 | Hits: 842

“Welcome to The Marais Project www site.  I founded The Marais Project in 2000 to perform the complete works of Marin Marais in the unique context of 21st century Australia.  Over the years our repertoire has greatly expanded and now includes a huge range of wonderful vocal and instrumental music for the viola da gamba from the 1400's to the present.  We also commission and arrange new music for the ensemble.  Concert tickets and copies of our CDs are available from this site using Paypal.  You will also find reviews, articles, interesting links and past programs.

I hope that you enjoy the site and that you can come to our concerts.  Thanks for visiting.

Jenny Eriksson
Founder and Director”

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Added on: Jan 15, 2012 | Hits: 852

"Masako Art (née Fujimura), began to play harp after long years of piano. After the university, she took historical harp lessons from William Taylor in Scotland and began her studies in medieval and renaissance music at Schola Cantorum in Basel, which she finished with a diploma in Baroque harp in 2004. Currently she has been in the class of Mara Galassi in Milan. Masako took part in opera productions with Jean-Claude Malgoire in Staatsoper Stuttgart, Theatre Lyrique de Tourcoing and Theatre Champs Elysee and with René Jacobs in Innsbrucker Festwochen, Theater an der Wien and Staatsoper Unter den Linden Berlin, as well as in diverse baroque orchestras and chamber ensembles. She participated in recordings including those with New London Consort (Frottole), Luca Scandali and Stefano Molardi (Giovanni Maria Trabaci), and with Il Vero Modo (Arcadia, Love Letters) and in CD/DVD "L'Orfeo" with Le Grand Ecurie et la Chambre du Roy, as well as radio/TV recordings by DRS, ORF, 3SAT, arte and FranceMusique. ... " Visit website for more information. (ed.)

Added on: Apr 18, 2008 | Hits: 857

“Inspired by the intriguing sound of the viola da gamba, the musicians Barbara Pfeifer, Sabine Kreutzberger, Adina Scheyhing and Franziska Finckh founded the viol consort Les Escapades in 2000. The name refers to intrigues or liaisons and gives the flavour of the ensemble’s programmes: besides their concerts as a viol quartet they perform frequently with other instrumentalists, singers, dancers and actors in unusual concerts which create space for a new listening experience. The four players studied at noted centres for Early Music (The Hague, Basel, Trossingen). Numerous solo appearances by individual members of the ensemble, as well as involvement in various chamber music projects, shape and enrich their teamwork in the consort. The consort has become well-known through recordings for Southwest German Radio (SWR) and SWR­TV, and collaboration in several choral projects. Ich will in Friede fahren, published by Christophorus records (Note 1) in March 2009, is the result of a long, intensive and stimulating collaboration with the countertenor Franz Vitzthum.“

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Added on: May 09, 2009 | Hits: 866

"Peter Martin started playing the guitar while living as a child in Spain. He studied music at Churchill College, Cambridge during which time he became a founder member of the English Guitar Quartet. In recent years, Peter has concentrated increasingly on the lute, theorbo and baroque guitar. He is active as a solo recitalist, accompanist and continuo player. " Visit website for more information. (ed.)

Added on: Apr 19, 2008 | Hits: 867

"The Baroque Cello International Society (Associazione Internazionale del Violoncello Barocco) was founded in 2006 by the cellists Renato Criscuolo and Andrea Fossà.

The purpose of the Association is being a point of reference for all those interested in the baroque cello and related instruments (such as il basso di violino, il violoncino, il bassetto etc.) as well as musicians, philologists, researchers, violin makers, organists, string makers etc.

The Association organizes concerts, courses, workshops, recordings and and all that can help fulfil the above mentioned purpose of the Association. As well, the Association is developing and maintains an on-line library, iconography and virtual museum with pictures of several instruments from all over the world. ... "

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Added on: Aug 02, 2008 | Hits: 867

“  I studied instrument making for five years at the London Guildhall University (the former London College of Furniture).  During this time I trained firstly to make early plucked instruments (lutes, baroque guitars) then moved on to hurdy-gurdy making in the last three years of my course.  This led to me obtaining a degree in Music Technology in 1999.

After college, I went on to further my knowledge by joining a woodcarving and sculpture class for two years with Mike Leman, and by working in London for leading boxmaker Andrew Crawford.

I set up my own workshop in Ramsgate during the summer of 2001, and have been a full time hurdy-gurdy maker ever since. I share my workshop with my husband the mandolin & bouzouki maker Kai Tönjes.”

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Added on: May 11, 2009 | Hits: 881

"The Lute Legends Ensemble is a new collaboration between three of Toronto’s most noted performers and teachers of plucked-string instruments. Each player represents one of three ancient musical traditions: the glorious polyphony of the European Renaissance and Baroque, the virtuosic modal improvisation of the Middle East, and the picturesque musical depiction of nature from China. The lute, the oud, and the pipa each evolved extremely different playing techniques and styles along different parts of the Silk Road centuries ago. This new ensemble now brings the three instruments together in a cross-traditional experiment for the twenty-first century."

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Added on: Jun 18, 2013 | Hits: 881

"Alfred Fernández was born in 1970 in Barcelona, where he studied classical guitar with Jordi Codina, Fernando Rodríguez and Manuel González.

Later on he became interested in studying in depth the Early Music repertoire for plucked string instruments (lute, vihuela, baroque guitar, theorbo, etc.). Formed mainly in a self-taught way, he has received advise of prestigious lutenists such as Lluís Gàsser, William Waters, Paul O’dette and Rolf Lislevand. ... " Visit website for more information. (ed.)

Added on: Jul 13, 2008 | Hits: 895

“"Grey Aengus" is Jim Petersen

Rewind back to 1990, early fall. It's nighttime at a buckskinner's camp. Jim and a
small group are gathered around the warmth of the campfire singing songs and
carrying on. A stranger pulls a most unusual-looking instrument from its case,
attaches a single leg to the back, and, balancing it on his knees, proceeds to
produce the most hauntingly beautiful tunes by hammering its strings with what
appear to be little wooden spoons. This was Jim's introduction to the hammered
dulcimer, an instrument that would soon become an obsession.

Upon researching the instrument and finding out how much one would cost, Jim
decided that building one would be the better option. Proceeding with plans by
Sam Rizzetta acquired at the local library, armed only with ninth-grade
woodworking skills and very few tools, he built his first instrument. (Hey, nobody
told him he couldn't do it.)

Three years later after teaching himself to play (hey, nobody told him he couldn't
do it), he was hired at the "Bristol Renaissance Faire" in southeastern Wisconsin.
It was there that he taught himself to play mandolin and later hurdy-gurdy. (By
now you would think somebody would have told him he couldn't do it.)

"Grey Aengus" now plays at many little weekend "Renaissance Faires" throughout
the Midwest, occasionally doing studio work for other musicians and playing for
special events and gatherings. His repertoire is heavily laced with the
compositions of Turlough O'Carolan, the renowned 17th century blind Irish
harper, his absolute favorite composer, followed closely by Robert Burns the
well-known Scottish poet. (go ahead ask him).

Jim also plays the hurdy-gurdy and has recently renewed his high school romance
with the guitar, working on developing a small repertoire of traditional
Irish/Scottish/Celtic songs. Jim's thought on the idea is "Hey, you don't really
need a good voice to sing 'Trad'. Besides, nobody told me I couldn't do it."“

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Added on: Sep 20, 2009 | Hits: 899

"Like many lute players, Liz Kenny started out by playing the classical guitar. As a junior at the Royal Academy of Music she received intelligent guidance from Michael Lewin (now a colleague there) and came within reach of London concert life. Her first encounter with the lute was hearing a performance by Nigel North - later to be an inspiring teacher. After going down the byways of an English degree and back to the guitar, she returned to this sound. Discovering everything from the subtle feeling of playing on double strung lutes to the freedom of improvisation that playing continuo offered was an exhilarating and at times frustrating experience. Just as well she didn't know at the outset that playing the lute for a living would entail mastering and giving houseroom to a dozen different instruments …

Now her repertoire extends from the early 16th century through the domain of the theorbo and baroque lute to the 19th century, thanks to stumbling across a beautiful small French romantic guitar at a London dealer's.

Her career has always had a strong international bias since it began during the recession in the UK in the early 90s. She went to Paris instead and began a long association with William Christie's Les Arts Florissants, which has had a big influence on her performing style. Playing with an unusually diverse range of ensembles in France, Germany and the USA as well as at home has given her a wide perspective on different ways of making music. She is now committed to drawing on this in devising her own programmes. Groups she has appeared with regularly in over a decade of touring include Les Arts Florissants, Concerto Vocale, The English Concert, Tragicomedia, Teatro Lirico, Tira mi sú, The Gabrieli Consort, The Taverner Consort, The Parley of Instruments, The King's Consort, The Orchestra of the Age of Enlightenment and Concordia. ..." Visit website for more information. (ed.)

Added on: Jul 16, 2008 | Hits: 914

"Hideki just moved to Portland, Oregon to pursue more performance opportunities. He would like to thank all his fans in Central Oregon for their support and friendship. He will still visit Bend on a regular basis to teach lessons and for engagements, and is still taking students and bookings there.

Hideki Yamaya is a guitarist and lutenist who has been active as a performer and teacher in the West Coast for over 12 years. He currently resides in Portland, Oregon, and is actively teaching and performing in the Portland area and in Central Oregon. He has a B.A. in Music and an M.A. in Ethnomusicology from University of California, Santa Cruz, and an M.F.A. from University of California, Irvine, in Guitar and Lute Performance. His primary instructors have included Paul Beier, Mesut Ozgen, John Schneiderman, Anita Sheer, Robert Strizich, and James Tyler; he has had master classes with Robert Barto, Ronn McFarlane, Richard Savino, Stephen Stubbs, and Benjamin Verdery. He is an internationally acclaimed musician and has performed in Canada, Japan, Great Britain, and Italy.

Added on: Mar 04, 2009 | Hits: 918

" Raphaella Smits plays worldwide in her unique way eight-string guitars and historical instruments. Solo recitals as well as performances in duo with the most distinguished colleagues. Besides that stage-work she has made 16 albums, many of them being listed as indispensable to refined music lovers.

Raphaella Smits is internationally praised as an inspiring teacher for both guitar and chamber music. In addition to her chair at the Lemmens Institute in Belgium, she regularly gives master classes in West and East Europe, in North and South America and in Japan.

Organizers of international music competitions ask Raphaella as a member of the jury because of her ability to listen and to judge so accurately. Here again she shows her talent to combine professional skills with a great sense of empathy.

Raphaella Smits is called quite rightly "une Grande Musicienne." Visit website for more information. (ed.)

Added on: Apr 19, 2008 | Hits: 919

“DANIEL THONON  was born in 1949, in Brussels. His father, a Jazz pianist, owns a cabarets where artists such as Léo Ferré and Georges Brassens hold concerts, as well as an art Gallery.

Daniel immigrates to Canada in 1963 and settles in Montreal, where he finishes his High School Studies. He goes on to study at McGill University at the Faculty of Music, then leaves for Switzerland, where he will study Harpsichord and Early Music at the Conservatory of Music in Geneva. Daniel Thonon then moves to Annecy, France, where he will spend the next ten years playing and producing himself in various concerts around Europe with his Early Music Group "Le Concert dans L'Oeuf". He produces four records with this group, while at the same time, researching various aspects of Musicology, Instrument building, and works for two years as a Music Therapist in a psychiatric institute. He composes and arranges various works for theatre and cinema, traditional music groups, rock, jazz, contemporary, etc.

In 1978, he goes to study music of the Arab/Andaluz tradition in Tlemcen, Algeria, and returns to Canada to settle in St-Marc-sur-Richelieu, where he now lives with his spouse and three children. Upon his return to Canada, he plays with the Ensemble Claude Gervaise for two years, then forms "Ad Vielle que Pourra", a traditional folk Music group, which will rapidly acquire international reputation. During its twelve years of existence, "Ad Vielle que Pourra" has played in hundreds of concerts each year, across North America and Europe. The group has recorded four CD's on the American Label "Green Linnet", which were sold all over the world.

After the dissolution of "Ad Vielle que Pourra" in 1999, Daniel Thonon forms the group "Montcorbier", which carries on the works of the former group. Daniel Thonon composes and arranges for other artists, tours as soloist on the accordion and baroque hurdy-gurdy, and pursues his various activities in musicology and instrument building. ..“

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Added on: Apr 23, 2010 | Hits: 926

"When harpist Ann Fierens completed her training at the Hogeschool voor de Kunsten in Utrecht, she was convinced that she should continue her orchestral career. She commenced her continuing education with the iWhen harpist Ann Fierens completed her training at the Hogeschool voor de Kunsten in Utrecht, she was convinced that she should continue her orchestral career. She commenced her continuing education with the intention to follow the same road and to discover the possibilities within the music scene in Belgium. She was given the opportunity to work with Dick van der Harst in an Oxalys production and het Muziek Lod and she played works by Debussy, Ravel, Glière and Fontyn as a soloist accompanied by an orchestra.

Her teacher Erika Waardenburg urged her to dedicate herself to the repertory from the classical period. She soon discovered that the eighteenth century represented a fascinating episode in harp history: the single action pedal harp was invented and soon entered a glorious period when it was introduced to the French court and the Concert Sprituel.

When Ann first met ‘her’ Erard, it was love at first sight. Fascinated by the rich sound of the instrument, she dived into libraries looking for old methods and writings which would teach her how to play and look after her instrument in the best way. The cooperation continued to improve and Ann developed a passion for music, musicians and instruments dating from the 18th and the early 19th century. ntention to follow the same road and to discover the possibilities within the music scene in Belgium. She was given the opportunity to work with Dick van der Harst in an Oxalys production and het Muziek Lod and she played works by Debussy, Ravel, Glière and Fontyn as a soloist accompanied by an orchestra. Her teacher Erika Waardenburg urged her to dedicate herself to the repertory from the classical period. She soon discovered that the eighteenth century represented a fascinating episode in harp history: the single action pedal harp was invented and soon entered a glorious period when it was introduced to the French court and the Concert Sprituel. When Ann first met ‘her’ Erard, it was love at first sight. Fascinated by the rich sound of the instrument, she dived into libraries looking for old methods and writings which would teach her how to play and look after her instrument in the best way. The cooperation continued to improve and Ann developed a passion for music, musicians and instruments dating from the 18th and the early 19th century. " Visit website for more information. (ed.)

Added on: Apr 18, 2008 | Hits: 932

"Pallade Musica brings together four of Montreal's most promising Early Music performers. Grand Prize winners at the Early Music America Baroque Performance Competition in New York, October 2012, the quartet consists of Tanya LaPerrière, Baroque violon, Elinor Frey, Baroque cello, Esteban La Rotta, theorbo, and Mylène Bélanger, harpsichord. They played together in past seasons in groups such as Ensemble Caprice, Arion, Proemio, and the Montreal Baroque Festival before launching their own Montreal series at the Chapelle Notre-Dame-de-Bon-Secours.

Their formation explores the repertoire for violin, cello and continuo allowing for a diverse sound palette of various textures and colors. Future concerts include Monteverdi madrigals with VivaVoce and soprano Shannon Mercer, and performances at Early Music Vancouver, Ottawa Chamber Music Festival, Festival Alexandria, Early Music Now (WI), and the Connecticut and Indianapolis Early Music Festivals, among others. ..."

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Added on: Jun 18, 2013 | Hits: 980

“Award-winning lutenist/guitarist Peter Croton is an active performer & recording artist as soloist & accompanist. In the press he has been called a "lyric poet of the lute" and has been praised for his "extroverted virtuosity of the highest degree". His compositions for voice & lute have been described as "challenging and refined... highly suited for inclusion in today's concert repertoire". With his duo partner Theresia Bothe he has performed and recorded a wide variety of music, including many of his original songs.

Peter teaches lute, continuo, and historical performance practice at the Schola Cantorum Basiliensis and the Musikhochschule in Bern. His tutor, 'Figured Bass on the Classical Guitar - a practical approach based on historical principles', has been described by Konrad Ragossing as

"...a valuable contribution not only to the practice of  playing thoroughbass on the classical guitar, but above all to the expansion of knowledge of musical practice in a fundamental period in Western music - a  guide equally important for all guitarists, for teachers, students and concert artists".“

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Added on: Jun 29, 2010 | Hits: 992

“Robert Eisenstein is the director of the Five College Early Music Program,and conducts the Early Music Collegium and Euridice Ensemble, a 17th and18th century chamber ensemble. He teaches music history and directs the Madrigal Singers at the University of Massachusetts, and performs regularly on the viola da gamba with colleagues and in his capacity as founding member and programming director of the Folger Consort in Washington, DC. Mr.Eisenstein has performed with the New York Renaissance Band, Cappella Nova, the New York Consort of Viols, the Washington Bach Consort, and the National Symphony.“

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Added on: May 03, 2010 | Hits: 992